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The mosquito Aedes (Aedimorphus) vexans arabiensis as a probable vector bridging the West Nile virus between birds and horses in Barkedji (Ferlo, Senegal)
Author(s) -
FALL A. G.,
DIAÏTÉ A.,
ETTER E.,
BOUYER J.,
NDIAYE T. D.,
KONATÉ L.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
medical and veterinary entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2915
pISSN - 0269-283X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2915.2011.00974.x
Subject(s) - biology , aedes vexans , west nile virus , vector (molecular biology) , veterinary medicine , zoology , ecology , aedes , virus , virology , larva , medicine , biochemistry , gene , recombinant dna
Active catches of adult females of Aedes vexans arabiensis Patton, (Diptera: Culicidae) Patton by nets or aspirator, were conducted in 2003 and 2004 in the vegetation at the edge of temporary ponds in Barkedji, Senegalese Ferlo area. Two hundred and forty‐one engorged females were captured, dissected and the gut content adsorbed on a Whatman filter paper and analysed using the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique to determinate the bloodmeal origin. Results indicated that Ae v. arabiensis fed primarily on mammals, including horses (35.7% of the bloodmeals), but also on birds (10%). Moreover, associations between horses and birds accounted for 42% of the mixed bloodmeals. These results show an opportunistic feeding behaviour and suggest that Ae v. arabiensis is a probable vector bridging the West Nile virus between horses and birds hosts in the Ferlo area.